Yes, the specifics are still missing, but those will come. With voters wholly unimpressed with Stephen Harper, now is the time for Michael Ignatieff to show Canadians what he stands for - and he appears to be doing just that.

19 Comments:

Is it possible that progation will benefit the Liberals? Could they possible use this time to start laying out a coherent policy platform for the next election to the media(and in the process keep grabbing headlines in papers across Canada), while Harper and Co. sit around "consulting" everyday Canadians.

Well, lets wait for the conbots to come and explain how progation is good, the Liberals bad, and how Micheal Ignatieff is a big stupid jerk who hates Canada, Tim Hortons, and hockey.

While I'm not holding out for the long-awaited Liberal daycare plan, I think Ignatieff hit two important notes over the past couple of weeks, points which I'm very impressed with.

One, he addressed the jobs issue, one which the Conservatives constantly play footsy with. He laid out his plans with some good specifics, and even the fact that he is addressing the issue is a positive sign.

Two, the senate reform issue. Not a huge thing on Canadian's minds, no, but it takes away the line the Conservatives always use about how the Liberals hate Senate reform. He actually goes into the issue, discusses it, and welcomes any suggestions. He looks like he is doing something, instead of the Conservatives, who do nothing.

If this is the work of DonOLO, by God why didn't we have this when Dion was leader.

The policy idea about creating jobs is amazing. We need jobs in Canada. Without jobs, none of us get pay cheques. Without pay cheques, we can't buy food or pay rent. And governments don't get taxes unless we get pay cheques.

Only Michael Ignatieff has the intellectual heft to realize how important jobs are.

By Cancel the Thinkers Conference - Iggy has the silver bullet, at 11:55 AM

anon 11:24. You are the insult to all women especially single parent mothers. Time you guys started taking your responsibilty of being a parent and stay home and look after the kiddies in a safe inviroment and quit thinking their parents will take over the load you your self don't care to handle. Rather go out and play more likely. Enough said on that topic. Just so you know women don't feel the same as you. They can't go out to work or play when they have to look after the children 24/7 every day. Okay big boy, you take some responsibilty and then maybe a universal child care program would not be necessay. I think GST should be raised to help pay for it as well and Harper can use some of the monies he's wasted to help pay for it as well. He is an insult to all Canadians and I can't wait to see his backside when hes gone.

Iggy can definitely win (which I predicted a long time ago) but Harper has one last chance to make the March budget a game-changer. For instance, if the budget contains deep cuts, Harper may be able to galvanize the 36% of the electorate he needs to stay in power, just like how Mulroney used free trade.

Now, not only does he have to follow through on promised cuts, but they have to be meaningful and smart (i.e. you don't need 83 Harper Holiday days to slash 15% across the board) which is incredibly difficult as Andrew Coyne and others have pointed out, but he also has to show some fresh ideas.

The only thing he's mentioned so far is bringing back a crime agenda he has not once but twice and even three times thrown out the window, senate reform that he has tried and also threw out the window (and may be unconstitutional) and helping moms and kids in developing countries. Hardly enough to justify shutting down Parliament for 83 days to "re-calibrate".

He's built up expectations and now he has to face a compare and contrast with the Liberals.

I would never underestimate Harper. That is dangerous. But he's painted himself into an interesting political corner with his own brush.

You are full of it. The reason we do not have a daycare system today is because the Liberals after more than a decade of majority gov't didn't deliver one as promised.Don't blame others for your failures.

dn: No they don't think child care is a priority and they are honest about it. The Conservatives however, did deliver a tax break for families with young children.They did it quickly and every child is entitled to it. The Libs have simply promised daycare and failed miserably to provide help for families.

Child Care: Ignatieff is in dreamland if he can sell the same confused mess that the Liberals have tired to sell before. The Liberals need to spell out exactly what their program would mean to parents everywhere. A promise to work out separate deals with each province left the public dumbfounded this last time out.

Their proposal needs to be specific and straight forward. They could promise, for example, to provide all day preschool and kindergarten for every 4 and 5 year old in Canada.

Of course, it will be said that the Liberals can not do this; education is under provincial control. It is and so is health care, but never stopped Pearson from introducing Medical Care Act.

It is high time this group of Liberals grow some. No one is ever going to vote for a party that is scared of the Conservatives, scared of the provinces and just plain scared period.

Marie can take care of her own damn kids -- I'm going bowling for a brewski with the buds. After that we're gonna watch strippers and lose our jobs and stick her with the bill. She's a chick! We're guys! Do the math!